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Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Kronos - "Arisen New Era" (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type:Full Length

Date Released:24/07/2015

Label:Unique Leader Records

By
any definition, Kronos are not re-inventing the wheel, but they have made an
artistic and technically impressive death metal album which takes in
mythological subject matter and superlative performances matched by the
excellent production. As they have now returned, long may Kronos continue. Vive
(le/la?) Kronos. Vive La France!

Here
we are, at last. I often think that what I want to hear, RIGHT NOW, is some
French death metal taking in the brutality of Greek Mythology. Thank Mount
Olympus for Kronos, then! The band return after a seven
year break to re-enter the brutal/tech death metal fray. The band whip up a
storm on “Infernal Abyss Sovereignty”
and “Zeus Dethroned”. Indeed, this opening pairing hits so hard
and fast that before you know it, the band's stall is laid out and you are into
“Soul-Voracious
Vultures”. There is great lead work on display throughout the
record. The production is surprisingly bassy- which I don't dislike- and this
gives the album a somewhat unusual sound and character.

“Rapture in Misery” has an excellent “trading rhythm guitars” opening
and then adopts an unusual rhythmic motif. The vocals are expertly delivered,
too- double tracking and panning are used to good effect. It is also very, very
fast. “Klymenos Underwrath” is another blasting example of
technical death mastery- pinch harmonics and rolling bass drums are assured. “Aeons
Titan Crown” nods to their 2003 work with its title and is again
unusual rhythmically. The bass is very prominent on this one and really jumps
out of the speakers. This is all very much death metal with a strong tech death
bias. Easily more comprehensible than Nile and not as tech as
something like Arkaik, but more tech than mid-period Morbid Angel.

With
nine tracks on the album, there is more than enough to satisfy your deathly
desires- a little goes a long way. “Brotherlords” exemplifies this
well with its labyrinthine riffing and myriad time changes- this is challenging
stuff and a million miles away from “Scream
Bloody Gore” or Bolt Thrower. That
said, it is not jazzy like Atheist or Cynic so is easily brutal enough to get your head banging. “Purity
Slaughtered” continues the record's tendency towards songs of four
minutes in length but with more parts than the average thrash album in one
song. A superb lead section in the last minute really lifts the track as the
bass continues to stamp its authority on the album.

The
coup de grace of “Hellysium” finishes this
impressive death metal set in good style. Great changes and trading guitars
again add flair to this album. By any definition, Kronos
are not re-inventing the wheel, but they have made an artistic and technically
impressive death metal album which takes in mythological subject matter and
superlative performances matched by the excellent production. As they have now
returned, long may Kronos continue. Vive
(le/la?) Kronos. Vive La France!

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